Support for vacuum tubes



Dec. 16, 1930,.

M. ALDEN SUPPORT FOR VACUUM TUBES Filed Aug. l2, 1926 Je K9) l p'Patented Dec. 16, 1930 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON x ALBEN,

OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, v.ASSIG'NOB BY MEVSNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TROBERT S. ALLYN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

SUPPORT non VACUUM 'rUiaEs This invention relates to an improvement insupports for vacuum tubes for use in radio apparatuses, and has for itsobject to provide a support of simple construction Vcapable of reducingto a minimum the shocks and vibrations that may be transmitted fromoutside sources throughthe support to the delicate mechanism of thevvacuum tube, said v 7 shocks and vibrations often tending to reduce theeiliciency of said tube and interfere seriously with its operations.

It is still further an object of the invention tov embody in thestructure of the support aplurality of springs, each of which ispreferably constructed 'of a continuous length of wire and has a helicalcompression portion'lformed .integral therewith for encircling. theterminal pins ofthe vacuum tube, said spring constituting electriccircuit connections to said pins and tube.

Stilly another object of the invention is I to embody in theconstruction of the supporting springs a loop which is utilized insecuri said torsionv coil being at right angles to the4 ing the supportto its base, and in interposing between said loop and the compression.portion of the spring a torsion coil, the. aXls of axis of said loopand compression portion.

Another object is to prevent distortion of the spring members wheninsertinggor removing a tube.l

The invention consists in a support for a vacuum tube as set forth inthefollowing specification.. and particularly as pointed out inthe claimsthereof.

Referringto the drawings: l

Figure 1 represents a! central vertical section through avacuum tubesupport embodying my invention, a vacuum tube of wellknown type beingmounted upon said support.v

trating still another modified embodimeritr of the invention. 1

. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

In the drawings, referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, l0 representsa panel constituting a base andv constructed of suitable in.- sulatlngmaterial. Located above the base 10 is an'insulating member 11,preferably cylindrical in form and also constructed of insulatingmaterial. The insulating member 11 is provided with a pluralitvofopenings 12 extending downwardly therethrough, said openings beinprovided forthe purpose of receiving t 1e yterminal pins a of a vacuumtube A, and said openings ma be of Adifferent diameters as illustratedinv igs. 1

and 2, or they may all be the same diameter without departing from thespirit of the invention, it being evident that it is necessary I isvfastened to the insulating member 11 l around the openings 12, andpreferably said helical lportion is imbedded iny the material of theinsulating member and the inner diameter of said helical portion is thesame diameteras that of the terminal pins a. The springs '13vfurthermore constitute electric circuit connections lto the vacuum tubeA and the diameter of thel compression coil 14 of said spring is suchthat when the terminal pins a of said vacuum tube.V A are insertedthereinnthe convolutions of the coil 14 will snugly engage the peripheryof the terminal p 'pins and form an electrical contact therewith.

The springs 13 embody therein an intermediate portion 15 which projectslaterally from the. lower end of the'helical portion 14 thereof,.andsaidintermediate portion is approximately parallel with the uppersurface of the base 10 vand has a torsion coil 16 formed therein, theaxis of which is preferably located at right angles to the axis ofthecom- `pression coil 14. The springs 13 also embody base 10 and parallelto the axis of the compression coil 14.

A binding post 18 is employed as a fastening member in securing thesupport to the base 10, and said binding post' extends through the loop17 and base 10 and may have a connecting wire attached thereto `in theusual well-known manner, if it is so desired. Each loop 17 has aterminal portion 19 projecting therefrom and extending downwardlythrough an opening 2O provided in the base 10, said terminal beingprovided for the purpose of having a connecting wire attached thereto inany desired manner.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a modified embodiment of my invention inwhich the insulating member 11 is supported upon the base 10 by aplurality of springs 21, each of which constitutes an electric circuitconnection to a vacuum tube and embodies therein a helical portion 22constitutinga compression coil, an intermediate portion 23 having atorsion coil 24 formed therein, and a loop 25; but in this spring, aportion 26, between the loop 25 and torsion coil 24, is curved upwardlyfrom said loo toward said coil, and the latter is located a out midway/between the loop 25 and the compression coil 22. j

The spring 21 is fastened to the Vbase 10 by a binding post 28 whichextends through the loop 25 of said spring, and said binding post mayhave a connecting wire attached thereto in the usual well-known manner.Each loop 25 has a terminal portion 27 projectig therefrom and extendingdownwardly through an opening provided in the base 10, said terminalbeing provided for the purpose of having a wire attached thereto, if itis so desired.

In Figure 4 still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated inwhich the insulating member 11 isy supported upon the base 10 by aplurality of springs 29, each of A which constitutes an electric circuitconnection to avacuum tube and embodies therein ing therefrom andextending downwardly, vthrough an opening 37 provided in the basePreferably I provide means for limiting the movement of the top piece 11so as to prevent injury to the springs such as a screw 38 passingthrough the aperture 41 and is secured firmly into the threaded hole inthe metallic insert 40 said insert being moulded or imbedded into theinsulating member 11. This construction functions as a stop in upwarddirection thus preventing injury to the shock absorbing springs duringthe removal of the vacuum tube.

Upon the screw 38 may be placed a threaded collar 39 which wheninserting the A tube in the socket or insulating member 11 may engagethe base 10 thus limiting the downward movement of said insulatingmember 11 thus preventing injury to the springs 13, 21, or 29. l

The use of this limiting member is optional and is more desirable insome embodiments of my invention than in others.

The various embodiments of this invent-ion are all employedin .exactlythe same manner 'as supports for vacuum tubes, and said supports, byreason of their' yielding construction, absorb the shocks and vibrationstransmitted thereto and prevent injury to the delicate mechanism of thevacuum tube, and the translation of mechanical vibrations of the tubeinto electrical vibrations in its associated circuits.

In each of the embodiments of the invention, the springs that areemployed in yieldingly supporting the insulating member are all utilizedas electric circuit connections to the terminal pins of the vacuum tube,and while it is preferable to have the helical por tion of saidspringsencircle and engage the terminal pins of said vacuum tube, it is evidentthat said spring may 'engage the terminal pins without encircling thesame. y While the various embodiments of this invention all embodytherein a torsion coil and a compression coil, it is evident that thehelical portion that forms the compression coil may be wound with theconvolutions thereof engaging with each other and in va manner to engagethe terminal pins a of the vacuum tube and form a contact therewith, asit is evident that the construction of the spring is such that it willform an efficient 'yielding support for the insulatingmember 11 eventhough the compression action of the spring is eliminated.4

I cla-im f 1. A support for a vacuum tube or the like comprising, incombination, a base, an insulating member. a plurality of springsyieldmgly supporting said insulating member upon said base, each of saidsprings embodying therein a torsion coil and a compression coil,thewlatter being fast to said insulating` member and adapted to engageaterminal of a vacuum tube, said spring constituting an electriccircuitconnection thereto, and means to fasten each of said springs tosaid base.

iat

2. A support for a vacuum tube or the like comprising, in combination, abase, an insulating member. a plurality of springs yieldingly supportingsaid insulating member upon said base,each of saidsprings embodyingtherein a torsion coil and a compression coil, the latter-being fast tosaid insulating member and adapted to engage a terminal of a vacuumtube,- Said spring constituting an electric circuit connection thereto,each ot' said springs also embodying therein a loop, and means extendingthrough each of said loops and securing each of'lsaid springs to saidbase.

3. lA support for a vacuum tube' or thelike comprising, in' combination,a base, an insulating'member, a plurality of springs yieldinglysupporting said insulating member upon said base, eachof said springsembody `absorbing springs secured to said base, 'saidv a springs beingformed of a continuous length of Wire and embodying therein a loopadapted to encircle a fastening member to secure said springs to saidbase, each of said springs also embodying therein a compression coiladapted to engage the terminal of-a vacuum tube, said springconstituting an electrical connection thereto, the axes of said loop andy said compression coil'being parallel to each other, a torsion coilalso embodied in each of said springs interposed between said loop andcompression coil, an` insulating member secured to said compressioncoils, and means for limiting. the movement of said insulating memberwith respect to said base.

" MILTON ALDEN.

ing therein a torsion coil and a compression coil, the latter 'beingfast to said insulating ing therein a torsion coil and a compressioncoil, the latter being fast to said insulating member and adapted toencircle the terminal of a'va'cuum tube, said spring constituting anelectric circuit connection thereto, each of said springs also embodyingtherein a loop, the'median line of said torsion coil extendingtransversely of the median lines of said loop and compression coil, andmeans extending through each of said loops and securing each of saidsprings to said base.

5. A support for a vacuum tube or the like comprising, in combination, abase, an insulating member, a plurality of springs yieldingly supportingsaid insulating member upon said base,'each of said springs embodyingtherein a torsion coil and a compression' l' coil, the latter being fastto said insulating "feo eis member and adapted to encircle the terminalof a. vacuum tube, said spring constituting an electric circuitconnection v thereto, each of said springs also embodying therein aloop,

the axes of said loop and compression coil being perpendicular to saidbase and the axis of said torsion coil being parallel to said base, andmeans extending through each of said loops and securing each of saidspringsto saidbase. c

6( A s upport for a vacuum tube or the like, comprislng, in combination,a supporting base, a plurality of conducting and shock

